Golf is premised upon obtaining the lowest score possible by reducing the number of strokes it takes to hit the ball from the tee box, to the fairway and green, and into the cup. Typically, putting (the act of using a putter to “putt” a ball on the surface of a golf green into a cup) results in the single largest number of strokes accounted for during play. On a typical golf course having 18 holes, the number of putting strokes allotted to achieve what is called “par” or even play is 36 strokes with another 36 strokes being allocated toward driving and chipping for a combined total of 72 strokes. Amateurs more often than not exceed this number of putting strokes, while the best professionals typically achieve a substantially less number of strokes. Resultantly, substantial practice on putting greens is spent by amateurs and professionals alike in order to develop their putting skills. This practice includes putting on irregular green surfaces, on contoured putting green surfaces, on flat putting green surfaces; putting uphill, over ridges and on downhill surfaces; and putting at various fixed distances.
In order to practice putting at fixed distances, the “golfer” walks off or measures the distance desired to be practiced. Often the golfer, after determining the distance, will use a tee (a plastic or wood structure) to mark the distance by placing the tee into the putting surface so that multiple practice shots may be taken repeatedly from the same spot in order to hone their skills. By repeatedly practicing from a known distance, the golfer can practice putting distance accuracy so as not to over or under put, and to practice direction accuracy in order to learn the amount of break due to the surface contour associated with that particular putting distance. Unavoidably, the tee placed in the putting surface used to mark the distance creates an obstruction to putting and is also a distraction not normally present when actually putting during a round of golf. When a golfer is done practicing, they tend to leave the tee or tees in the putting surface. The remaining tee or tees present an obstacle to subsequent golfers, who typically have to remove all the remaining tees in order to use the green. Also, the tee marks can cause damage to the putting surface.